hi there -

this board is a real inspiration to me.. tried many times to quit using counselling, sheer willpower, cold turkey.. none of these worked. I will be starting TSM soon, as I get hold of my nal supply from India, goal is to get to safe social drinking (from my current daily 6-10 units). A couple of questions I have (searched the board but couldnt find answers):

1. I'm as addicted to exercise as I am to beer, and I run/bike/gym for 1.5-2 hours nearly every day. Since the principle of TSM is to avoid non-alcohol related endorphin activities while on nal, I guess I should give up exercising? Exercise keeps me motivated and fit and I don't think I can stay away from it for 6 months.

2. Does anyone know what any potential long term psychiatric / physical side effects Nal shows (especially if its used to support social drinking, say 2 x per week, for the rest of my life)? Since the drug has been around since the 1990's, there should be at least anecdotal evidence or research on this..

Hope someone can help out - and thanks to everyone for keeping this board alive..

cheers
bassman

Drinking history: 14 years / Daily 6 - 10 units

Hi there,
Many people on this board also exercise regularly and/or daily. I often exercise within 24 hours of having taken nal, and I have noticed zero change, for better or for worse. Some people definitely take advantage of the reuptake of endorphins 48 hours later to get a super workout in, but you should be fine either way.
As for the long term psychiatric effects, I'm no doctor, but this drug has been around (in one for or another, not necessarily for alcohol dependency) for many many years (at least since the 1930s) and is still considered incredibly safe by doctors. My thinking is this - do you really think that the daily drinking is not causing long-term mental health damage? Lol I think that's a bigger one to worry about

Bassman,
Welcome to the board, it has been a great support network for me and many others. Be careful about taking the book too literally. There are a number of things that from what I can tell from my own experience and from the collective experience of the people on this board are a bit misleading.
Firstly, the timeframe to regain control can be much longer than what is reported in the book. It seems that the longer that a person has been abusing alcohol has an impact on this. There are some “super responders” that regain control in a few weeks or months. However for many of us it will be a year or more. I have seen numerous people that report complete success but it took well over a year.
Secondly the idea of avoiding endorphin related activities is in my opinion overblown. I like many others on here exercise on a daily basis. While I am still slugging it out, there are others who have excised that are on the “Cured” List. I would not concern myself with this issue, continue the positive activities regardless of when you last took Nal.
Thirdly, the notion of up regulation seems to be exaggerated. I personally have not experienced it and have not read anyone’s thread where they talk positively about it.

Hope this helps. Good luck on your journey, follow the golden rule of Nal+1hour and if you’re like the 80% you will eventually regain control.

Diver

Hello,

I agree with what has been said. I have been drinking almost daily on NAL for almost a year. In the past few months, things have improved for me enough that I am now exercising every day, on NAL.

Your desire to exercise will not extinguish, believe me.

hi all -

thanks for the replies.. its really heartening to know that my workouts won't be affected too much.. probably..

ElectraLou, Diver, JDog - I agree with you guys.. alcohol is doing me more mental and physical harm in the long run compared to nal, which is at max a 2-year affair.. and I'm all set for 2 years.. heck, if I've been drinking for 14 years, I think I can devote 2 years to recovery. I'm very clear that it's easier to manage the recovery process if I dont have unrealistic expectations (4-6 months)

thanks all - I'll start posting weekly updates once I get my NAL shipped in.

take care

Bassman

I love exercise and had been a competitive athlete in the past, before alcohol interfered. When I started TSM I also started training again, and have progressed to high level competition again. TSM has not affected my training, in fact I believe training gave me an incentive and the days when you experience endorphin receptor upregulation - well that made my workouts even better.

Just as an indicator, I was training minimally pre TSM. Since starting TSM I'm now easily managing 2 hours a day, and have more than halved my bodyfat percentage.

Thats good to hear. I'm planning to start powerlifting again Monday. Should have my nal next week too.

TSM has some exercise to get the plan of the fiction level it was good to read the communicating field on it. I need to get the facts of the power that was at www.australian-writings.org this belonged to them they share some of the aspects over the plan on it that was good to read.